Previous cradles for lifting pipelines include: a cradle having a base with wheels with treaded pneumatic tires supporting the pipeline, but with the wheels also touching the ground when the base is on the ground, the base being suspended from a spreader bar using flexible cables, the base also having guide rollers; and a cradle having polyurethane rollers to support a pipeline, the polyurethane rollers being suspended directly from a spreader bar by flexible cables or by rigid lifting arms hinged at both ends.